ButterflyCircle : BBQ Time! @ Oh Farms

April 6, 2013, 6:58 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Grass Demon

$

0

0

ButterflyCircle : BBQ Time! @ Oh Farms


The ButterflyCircle gang!

It was a dark and stormy night.... Well, the weather was not quite conducive on that Good Friday evening, 29 Mar 2013 for an alfresco barbecue party. But first. let's rewind the clock to some time late last year when we were talking about having a long-overdue gathering for ButterflyCircle members. Since the group was formed, we had a 'grand' number of only two big gatherings, both barbecues, at member Henry Koh's condominium in Aug 2008 and then a more recent one at Oh Farms when it was first set up. So it was about time we had another gathering soon.  Federick Ho suggested Good Friday as it was a public holiday and a long weekend.

Rain stopped, time for some action and food!  The BBQ pit at Oh Farms all ready for its maiden barbecue function

Preparations began and thanks to the super-efficient folks at Oh Farms, most of the yummy food was prepared and all the rest of us needed to bring were light snacks, drinks and not to forget beer, and our insatiable appetites! All in all, we had 22 members, the Oh Family and a few other guests making up a nice group of over 30 people who attended the barbecue.

Whilst some members chipped in to help set up the tables and food, others were too hungry to resist the yummy dinner! 


So who has the chubbiest cheeks??

It was ButterflyCircle's biggest social gathering so far - young and not-so-young, newbies and veterans, guys and gals. A few members, who were out of action for some time, also made the effort to join in.  After a morning butterfly shooting outing for some of the regulars, everyone was looking forward to the barbecue, when the skies decided to unleash its fury around late afternoon. It was a fierce tropical thunderstorm, complete with thunder and lightning.

Makan time!!  And our chef-du-excellence, Nancy, who kept the food coming along

Those of us who arrived early at Oh Farms were entertained in an nice airconditioned room and waited anxiously for the rain to stop. Whilst there was a wet-weather contingency plan, having a barbecue indoors won't be quite the same. Fortunately, at around 6:30pm, the skies cleared up to a nice cool and humid evening.

A small sample of the delicious food we were treated to that evening

Looking around the happy faces amongst the ButterflyCircle members that evening brought my mind back to late 2005, when the group was facing internal differences amongst some of the founding members. Eventually, a few of the more troublesome members were purged and the remaining group, which formed the majority of the members, split off to start a new group. I also recall that some time in Nov 2005, we had an online brainstorming session amongst the pioneer group members to find a new name for the group.

Uncle Sunny telling us the story of how he got that rare butt

On 17 Nov 2005, it was decided that the group be called ButterflyCircle. A domain was registered and after the requisite administrative applications were cleared, we were good to go! Originally, most of the members started off as macro photographers with a special interest in butterflies. Many were also members of a local photography forum, Clubsnap, who eventually joined ButterflyCircle and focused their efforts on butterfly photography and learning more about our winged jewels.


ButterflyCircle's youth wing members, CJ and Lemon

Over the years, the group grew in numbers as new people joined the forums, outings and social gatherings. We even had overseas members joining in the forums, and experts in specialised fields like early stages, identification and so on. Special mention has to be made of Dr TL Seow from Malaysia, who has been exceptionally invaluable for his knowledge in butterfly identification and sharing his experience with ButterflyCircle members. From our closest neighbours in Malaysia and Thailand we also have active members like Antonio Giudici, Les Day and LC Goh, with whom the Singapore members have often met up on outings in Malaysia and Thailand, and even further afield in other Asian countries.

Lady butts from ButterflyCircle

Then there are members from US, Hong Kong, India, Japan and other countries who pop in regularly to discuss topics related to butterflies. Of special mention are Keith Wolfe and William Folsom from the US, and David Fischer from Australia, who have contributed their time, knowledge and encouragement from time to time. Our 'sister' group, the Hong Kong Lepidopterists Society, visited us in June 2011 and they have reciprocated the hospitality to several ButterflyCircle members who visited Hong Kong.

Veteran members trying to 'poison' a newbie member

In the seven years that ButterflyCircle has been in existence, the group has continued to further its research in butterflies, and sharing information across the globe via its forum, blog and Facebook portals. The group also learned a lot of new things from others via this information exchange.

What's a BBQ without a Tiger??  CHEERS! And young Brian thinking how long he has to wait before he can drink beer legally

In terms of butterfly photography, there are very few groups or individuals who can match the excellent photographic achievements of the members of ButterflyCircle. The work of ButterflyCircle members never ceases to amaze laymen enthusiasts and experts alike - from discoveries to early stages to butterfly photography. Many of the results of the hard work and efforts have been captured in this blog since its maiden post in August 2007. The sustainability of this blog over the past five years has been through the efforts of Horace Tan (with his amazing work on early stages of butterflies) and the generous contributions of photographs from ButterflyCircle members.

The Old Boys' Club.  Those born later than 1960 need not apply

Coming back to the barbecue, it was excellent food (thanks, Yeok Keong, Ai Ling, Nancy and the rest of the Oh clan), great company and a most enjoyable evening for everyone. I believe most of us had more than our typical dinner as Ai Ling played a fantastic host and fed us continuously with her gastronimic delights. Thanks also go to Eng Chuan, Chng and others who brought the beer and drinks, Steven Neo for the wine, and CJ who brought some nice satay all the way from a famous stall in Clementi!

The Hungry One, looking forward to the next ButterflyCircle BBQ party!

As for the rest of us, we probably ate enough to burn off the calories of the next two days' outings over the long Easter weekend!  It was a great evening of warm camaraderie, catching up with old friends, making new ones and all with the common interest of butterflies! Thanks to everyone who turned up to make the occasion a success, and we look forward to the next ButterflyCircle social gathering, and we hope that it will be soon!

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Khew SK & Tan KY

---

Random Gallery - Grass Demon

April 8, 2013, 7:59 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Leopard Lacewing

≪ Previous: ButterflyCircle : BBQ Time! @ Oh Farms

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Grass Demon (Udaspes folus)

The Grass Demon is dark brown above, with the forewing featuring several white spots. The hindwing has a large white discal patch, giving the butterfly a chequered appearance as it flits low amongst grasses and shrubbery. It can be a fast flyer, but often stops to rest with its wings in the typical Hesperiidae fashion. The caterpillars of this species feed on Turmeric.

This Grass Demon was shot by ButterflyCircle member Chng CK last weekend. The butterfly with its forewings opened at an angle and the hindwings opened flat is perching on a blade of lalang. The interesting angle at which it was shot makes it appear like a lady with a flared skirt looking down from a balcony.

Random Gallery - Leopard Lacewing

April 11, 2013, 9:28 pm

≫ Next: Life History of the Courtesan

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Grass Demon

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Leopard Lacewing (Cethosia cyane)

The Leopard Lacewing is a recent migrant to Singapore and was first discovered some time in late 2005. It had earlier been recorded in Malaysia on Pulau Langkawi in late 1999 and early 2000. How it first appeared in Malaysia and eventually Singapore, is anyone's guess. As an easy-to-breed species, with its caterpillars feeding on a variety of Passifloraceae species, it is versatile enough to adapt to several host plants to survive. Also, a female of this species can often lay up to 50-100 or more eggs in its lifespan, aiding in its spread across any area that it has managed to colonise.

This shot shows the upperside of a female Leopard Lacewing. The characteristic pale creamy colour of the wings easily sets it apart from the other Cethosia species found in Singapore. Males tend to outnumber females in this species, even in a controlled breeding facility. The species displays aposematic colouration and is known to be distasteful to predators.

Life History of the Courtesan

April 13, 2013, 10:36 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Yellow Flash

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Leopard Lacewing

$

0

0

Life History of the Courtesan (Euripus nyctelius euploeoides )

Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Euripus Doubleday, 1848
Species: nycteliusDoubleday, 1845
Subspecies: euploeoidesC & R Felder,1867
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 50-70mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plants:Trema tomentosa (Ulmaceae, common name: Rough Trema, Poison Peach), Trema cannabina (Ulmaceae, common name: Lesser Trema).

A male Courtesan perching on a branch of a Trema plant.

A male Courtesan resting at a leaf perch.

A sunbathing male Courtesan giving a view of its upperside.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:

The eyes of both sexes are yellow but those of the female are darker with varying degrees of brown shading. The male has the termen of its hindwing indented between veins 2 and 4, and between veins 5 and 6. Above, the male is bluish black with its forewing endowed with a complex series of white spots/patches in the cell, discal and post-discal areas. The hindwing is predominantly white with blackened veins, marginal and submarginal series of small white spots. Of the two female forms (-isina, -euploeoides) present in Singapore, form -isina (a mimic of the male Magpie Crow (Euploea radmanthus)) has its wings bluish black with a large post-cellular white patch on the forewing and a broad white area in the inner basal half of the hindwing. Faint marginal series of whitish spots are present in both wings while a post-discal series of faint white spots is present in the hindwing. Form -euploeoides (a mimic of the female Magpie Crow) has its wings brown in colour. In the forewing, the post-cellular white patch is rather broad and an additional white patch is present in the cell. In the hindwing, the whitish area occupies almost two-thirds of the wing. The marginal, submarginal and post-discal series of white spots are larger and more distinct than those found in form -isina. Underneath, the wings are brown for both sexes with similar white markings as per the upperside.

A female form -isina Courtesan on a leaf perch.

The upperside view of a female form -isina Courtesan.

Another female form -isina Courtesan.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:

Courtesan is rare in Singapore. The adults have been found in various parts of nature reserves, as well as Southern Ridges and even the Singapore Botanic Gardens. They are typically found in an area where its host plants are thriving. The male has a strong flap-glide flight pattern while the female mimics the slow and unhurried flight pattern of its model.

A female form -euploeoides Courtesan taking nectar from flowers of mile-a-minute.

The upperside view of a female form -euploeoides Courtesan.

A female form -euploeoides Courtesan on a leaf perch.



Early Stages:

The two local host plants recorded are Trema species which has a widespread distribution in Singapore. The caterpillars of the Courtesan feed on leaves of the host plants.

Local host plant #1: Trema tomentosa.

Local host plant #2: Trema cannabina.

The eggs of the Courtesan are laid singly on the leaf of the host plant, typically on the upperside of the leaf. Each pale yellowish green egg is globular with a diameter of about 1.2mm. A number of longitudinal ridges are present.

A female form -euploeoides Courtesan laying an egg on a leaf of the Lesser Trema.

A female form -isina Courtesan laying an egg on a leaf of Lesser Trema.

A branch of the Lesser Trema with an egg laid on the upper surface of a leaf.

Two views of an egg of the Courtesan.

Each egg takes about 3-3.5 days to hatch. The young caterpillar nibbles away the egg shell in a manner akin to the act of opening a tin can with the polar part of the egg shell uneaten and resembling the lid of a tin can as the caterpillar emerges.

Two views of a maturing egg of the Courtesan.

An animated sequence showing the caterpillar nibbling away a strip of egg shell in an anticlockwise direction, prior to its emergence.

A newly hatched Courtesan caterpillar eating its egg shell.

The newly hatched is pale yellowish with a a body length of about 3.5mm. The head capsule is black. The body surface has numerous small whitish tubercles and numerous tiny whitish setae. There are two backward-pointing white anal processes.

Two views of a newly hatched caterpillar, length: 3.5mm.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, length: 5mm.

As the 1st instar caterpillar grows up to a length of about 6.5-7mm, the body takes on a strong green undertone. After about 3-3.5 days in the 1st instar, the caterpillar moults to the next instar.

Two views of a late 1st instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 6.5mm.

The 2nd instar caterpillar has a few changes in its appearance as compared to the 1st instar caterpillar. Now the body ground colour is green. The head capsule is black with two large cephalic horns, featuring side branches on the lateral peripherals as well as on the cephalic horns. Each cephalic horn is forked at the tip. The numerous tubercles and the anal processes are now yellowish in colour. Three pairs of small doro-lateral circular spots on the 2nd, 4th and 7th abdominal segments might occur in some specimens. This instar lasts about 3 days with the body length reaching up to 9.5mm-10mm before the next moult.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, newly moulted, the head capsule yet to turn black.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, length: 7.5mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 9.5mm.

The 3rd instar caterpillar resembles the 2nd instar caterpillar closely. The main change occurs in the head capsule where the cephalic horns are proportionately longer, and there are white patches on both sides of the head. The rear-facing side of the cephalic horns has changed from black to brown/dark brown. The occurrence of the three pairs of dorso-lateral spots on the 2nd, 4th and 7th abdominal segments is not consistent across individuals with some having only a subset or even none at all. This is true even for the next two instars. The 3rd instar takes about 3 days to complete with the body length reaching up to 15.5mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 10.5mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, length: 11mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 15mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 15mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar closely with the main change occurring again in the head capsule. Now the "face" is greenish to bluish with white lateral stripes, and the rear facing side of the cephalic horns is pale yellowish greenish to pinky brown. In each cephalic horn, the fork at the tip and the side branches are smaller than in the earlier instar with their front-facing side coloured in black. The body appears to be predominantly green as the numerous yellow tubercles covering the body surface are now miniscule and much less distinct. The three pairs of dorso-lateral spots, if present, are now much larger and prominent in contrast. Another pair of similar looking subspiracular spots could also occur on the 3rd abdominal segment. Typically these spots are reddish brown for most part of the instar and only turning yellowish on the last day of the instar. This penultimate instar lasts about 4 days with body length reaching about 25-27mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 15mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 27mm.

Two views of a late L4 caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 24mm.

The next moult brings the caterpillar to its 5th and final instar. Now the head capsule is mostly bluish green with the proportionately longer cephalic horns having small spatula-like forks at its tip. The rear-facing side of each horn is mostly green but pinky brown near the base. The two short and pointed anal processes are now green in colour.

Two views of a newly moulted 5th instar caterpillar .

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, length: 32mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, with all three pairs of dorso-lateral spots present, length: 36mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, with dorso-lateral and subspiracular spots turned yellow, length: 35mm.

The 5th instar lasts for about 5-7 days, and the body length reaches up to 36-40mm. As in the 4th instar, the dorso-lateral spots which are initially reddish brown would turn yellow on the last day of this instar.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, with only one pair of dorso-lateral spots present, length: 39mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, with only one pair of dorso-lateral spots present, turned yellow, length: 38mm

Toward the end of the 5th instar, the body gradually shortens in length with the body base colour turning to translucent green. Eventually the caterpillar comes to rest on the mid-rib on the underside of a leaf or the underside of a branch of the host plant. Here it stays dormant for a while before spinning a silk pad and anchoring its anal claspers to it. It then becomes an pre-pupatory larva in this upside-down pose.

A pre-pupatory larva of the Courtesan.

A Courtesan caterpillar molts to its pupal stage.

Pupation takes place about 0.5-1 day later. The pupa suspends itself with a cremastral attachment to the silk pad on the substrate. The pupa is mainly green mottled with cryptic white markings. Each pupa has a pair of short cephalic horns. The body has a keeled appearance as it broadens and tapers to a sharp ridge on the dorsum of the entire abdomen. Length of pupae: 27.5-29.5mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Courtesan.

After 5-6 days of development, the pupa turns black as the development within the pupal case comes to an end. Whitish patches/spots on the forewing are now visible on the wing pad through the pupal skin. The next day the adult butterfly emerges from the pupal case.

Two views of a mature pupa of the Courtesan.

A male Courtesan emerges from its pupal case.

A newly eclosed male Courtesan resting near its pupal case.

A newly eclosed male Courtesan.

References:

• [C&P4] The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, Malayan Nature Society.
• Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012
• A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Singapore, Khew S.K., Ink On Paper Communications, 2010.

Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Chng CK, Loke PF, Nelson Ong, Sunny Chir, Khew SK and Horace Tan

Random Gallery - Yellow Flash

April 16, 2013, 6:18 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Colour Sergeant

≪ Previous: Life History of the Courtesan

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Yellow Flash (Rapala domitia domitia)

The Yellow Flash often lives up to its name whenever it is encountered in the field. It is a zippy little butterfly that flashes very quickly away and is gone in the blink of an eye if it chooses to be uncooperative. As with many other species, the odds of getting a better shot of it will improve when it is distracted whilst feeding. It is the most elusive of all the Flashes (Rapala) species currently known in Singapore.

This skittish individual was shot by ButterflyCircle member Sunny Chir after it was feeding happily on the flowers of a blooming Syzygium tree in the nature reserves. The distinctive yellow undersides and jet black markings on the forewings make this the most easily identifiable Rapala amongst the many lookalikes in the genus.

Random Gallery - Colour Sergeant

April 17, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Butterfly of the Month - April 2013

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Yellow Flash

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Colour Sergeant (Athyma nefte subrata)

The genus Athyma is represented by five species in Singapore. The Colour Sergeant is the most common of the five. It is widely distributed, and can be found in the nature reserves as well as urban parks and gardens. The caterpillar host plants, at least 3 Glochidion spp., can be found cultivated in parks or growing wild in the nature reserves. The female occurs in two forms - f-neftina and f-subrata.

The male, shown here, is territorial and returns to its favourite perch to observe its surroundings and chase intruders away. It features the typical black-and-white striped patterns like all the members of the genus. The upperside of the male is black with bluish-tinged white markings. This individual, shot in the nature reserves, has a rather prominent orange apical spot on the forewings above (Inset). The typical male Colour Sergeant has white apical spots instead of orange, although the orange-spotted "form" occurs with regularity in Singapore.

Butterfly of the Month - April 2013

April 20, 2013, 6:10 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - White Spotted Palmer

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Colour Sergeant

$

0

0

Butterfly of the Month - April 2013
The Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon agamemnon)

This month's Butterfly of the Month, the Tailed Jay, has the honour of bearing the name of the mythical Greek King, Agamemnon as its Latin name.  In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was the king of Troy. When Helen, the wife of Menelaus, was abducted by Paris of Troy, Agamemnon commanded the united Greek armed forces in the ensuing Trojan War, and created the famous legend of the Trojan Horse. It would be interesting to know how this attractive butterfly came to be named after a mythical Greek king.

The Boston Marathon is the oldest annual city marathon in the world, appearing for the first time in 1897. Starting with only 18 runners in 1897, the Boston Marathon ranks as one of the most prestigious running events in the world, reaching a total of 35,000 runners in 1996.  This year, 2013, the Boston Marathon was held on Patriot's Day, 15 Apr 2013.



No one was prepared for the cruel twist of fate on that day when two explosions, planted by obviously mentally disturbed men, went off near the finishing line of the run, costing three innocent lives and injuring 183 others. Several of the victims had their legs blown off by the explosion. Indeed, we live in violent times, where terrorism, whether religiously-motivated or domestic, wreaks havoc on our lives.

Nearer close to home, election fever has gripped our closest neighbours up north, where Malaysia braces itself for its 13th General Elections on 5 May 2013.  As Malaysians of all races and walks of life look forward in anticipation towards the results of the elections, social media is abuzz with talk of impending "change" in the Malaysian government. Will that happen on 5 May? Stay tuned to the results of who will be returned to power.  Being Singapore's nearest neighbour, the political climate in Malaysia will certainly have an impact on our city state, whether we like it or not.  Hence the importance of the elections results to Singapore.

Over here in Singapore, the potential dengue fever epidemic can still happen, as more and more cases have been detected.  As of yesterday, there were more cases reported and the numbers appear to be climbing. As many of us would know, dengue fever is an illness caused by infection with a virus transmitted via the bite of the Aedes mosquito. There are four types of this virus (serotypes 1 to 4) which can infect you. The Aedes mosquito is an "urban" dweller that is more often found in our residential estates than in the forests.  Whenever a dengue fever outbreak is reported, the amount of pesticides that are sprayed into the environment rises significantly.  Whilst protecting human lives is paramount, the onset of a dengue fever outbreak also spells doom for our beloved butterflies in the urban environment as these pesticide fogging can only target all insects and unfortunately destroy them without any exception.

Back to our Butterfly of the Month, the Tailed Jay. This "swallowtail" butterfly is an erratic swift flyer that is widespread in distribution across the island of Singapore. Due to its caterpillars' ability to feed on the cultivated fruits Custard Apple and Soursop, and also the roadside trees, Magnolia champaca (White Chempaka) and Polyalthia longifolia (False Ashoka Tree), the butterfly can be found in urban gardens as well as in the forested nature reserves.

The upperside of the Tailed Jay comprises emerald green spots on a black background. The hindwing has a short tail, which is longer in the female.  On the underside, the purple-brown background has the same green spotting and additional dark purple patches and red spots.

With a wingspan of up to 75mm from wingtip to wingtip, it is the largest representative of its genus in Singapore.  It is often observed in urban gardens, feeding on its favourite nectaring plants, Lantana and Ixora blooms. In the forests and nature reserves, it regularly appears at the blooms of flowering Jambu trees (Syzygium spp) where it flies at high speeds, stopping only for a fleeting moment to unfurl its proboscis to feed on nectar - all whilst its wings are flapping rapidly.

Males are also often observed to puddle in the company of other Graphiums, Papilios and many species of Pieridae.  Even when puddling, the Tailed Jay is skittish and alert, flying off quickly the moment it senses any danger approaching.  It prefers to puddling on damp sand along streambanks that have been tainted with decomposing organic matter.

Females do not puddle, but are more often encountered at flowers and also in the vicinity of its various caterpillar host plants where they are in the process of ovipositing. In some cases, the butterfly is observed to stop on the upperside of a leaf to sunbathe at certain times of the day, whilst at other times it will stop with its wings folded shut as if to take a rest from its high-energy flight activity.

The complete life history has been recorded by ButterflyCircle on this blog and found here.

Text by Khew SK : Photos by Sunny Chir, Huang CJ, Khew SK, Henry Koh, Koh CH, Loke PF, Bobby Mun, Nelson Ong, Tan BJ, Anthony Wong, Mark Wong & Benjamin Yam.

Random Gallery - White Spotted Palmer

April 22, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Hieroglyphic Flat

≪ Previous: Butterfly of the Month - April 2013

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The White Spotted Palmer (Eetion elia)

This medium sized skipper is moderately rare in Singapore, appearing more often in the forested nature reserves.  It is often found lurking in shaded heavily forested areas, resting on the top surfaces of leaves.  When there is a flowering tree, particularly of the Syzygium spp, the White Spotted Palmer can be seen zipping rapidly amongst the flowers and feeding greedily.

The skipper is dark brown above with white hyaline spots. In the male, the white dorsal area on the hindwing is less extensive than in the female.  The whitened basal half of the underside of the hindwing is distinctive in this species and it is quite easily identified without much doubt.  The abdomen is white banded above and entirely white beneath.  The life history of this butterfly has been recorded here. This shot of a pristine White Spotted Palmer was taken by ButterflyCircle member Loke PF at a flowering Syzygium tree last weekend.

---

Random Gallery - Hieroglyphic Flat

April 23, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Common Mormon

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - White Spotted Palmer

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Hieroglyphic Flat (Odina hieroglyphica ortina)

This pretty black-and-orange skipper is moderately rare, but is widespread in distribution across Singapore where it can be found regularly in urban parks and gardens as well as in the forested nature reserves.  At certain times of the day, it zips around rapidly, sometimes in dogfights with another individual of the same species.  It has a habit of flying and then hiding on the underside of a leaf with its wings opened flat.  The caterpillar of this butterfly feeds on Erycibe tomentosa and its life history has been recorded here.

This Hieroglyphic Flat was shot by ButterflyCircle member Nelson Ong last weekend after the skipper had its fill of the nectar from a flowering Syzygium tree.  At times, the skipper can be found feeding on bird droppings on the forest floor or on leaves.  It will return time and again to its food source even when disturbed.

Random Gallery - Common Mormon

April 24, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Malayan Lascar

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Hieroglyphic Flat

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Common Mormon (Papilio polytes romulus)

The Common Mormon is a relatively common butterfly in Singapore. This swallowtail is found in urban parks and gardens, although it is fairly often seen in forested areas as well. Its caterpillars feed on the cultivated Murraya koenigii or Indian Curry Leaf, as well as another wild grown species of the same genus.  Other Citrus plants are also known host plants. The upperside of the Common Mormon is predominantly black with a series of whitish spots running across the hindwing forming a band. The female is polymorphic with the form-polytes mimicking the Common Rose, presumably for protection against predators.

Males of the species are often encountered puddling on damp sandy streambanks which have been tainted with decomposing organic matter. When puddling, the forewings of the butterfly flap rapidly, whilst the hindwings are held still.  This shot of a puddling Common Mormon was taken at a park connector near a nature area by ButterflyCircle member Huang CJ, who managed a sharp shot of the Common Mormon whilst achieving a smooth green background which contrasts pleasantly with the black wings of the butterfly.

Random Gallery - Malayan Lascar

April 25, 2013, 4:00 pm

≫ Next: Life History of the Plain Banded Awl

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Common Mormon

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery 
The Malayan Lascar (Lasippa tiga siaka)

The Malayan Lascar is one of four lookalike species found in Singapore, and probably the commonest of the four. The typical black and orange striped appearance and similar sized species - two from the genus Lasippa and the other two from the genus Pantoporia make these lookalike species challenging to identify when in flight. Only when they stop to sunbathe or rest can the identification be made more confidently. The Malayan Lascar can be separated from its lookalike cousin, the Burmese Lascar by the sub-marginal spot in space 3 of the forewing above, which is about twice the size of the adjacent spots in space 2 and 4.

This pristine Malayan Lascar was shot at a patch of secondary forest near Bukit Batok in Singapore. The species has a weak flap-glide behaviour and is fond on settling on the upperside of a leaf with its wings opened flat. However, like its other cousins, it is a very alert butterfly and unless it is feeding and distracted, is hard to approach. Once startled it makes its way to the treetops quite quickly and out of reach of the frustrated photographer.

Life History of the Plain Banded Awl

April 27, 2013, 2:11 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Grey Sailor

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Malayan Lascar

$

0

0

Life History of the Plain Banded Awl (Hasora vitta vitta)

Butterfly Biodata:
Genus: Hasora Moore, 1881
Species:vitta Butler, 1870
Subspecies: vitta Butler, 1870
Wingspan of Adult Butterfly: 40-45mm
Caterpillar Local Host Plant: Spatholobus ferrugineus (Family: Fabaceae)

A Plain Banded Awl perching on the underside of a leaf.

A Plain Banded Awl visiting a flower of the Singapore Rhododendron.

A Plain Banded Awl taking nectar from an Ixora flower.

Physical Description of Adult Butterfly:

Adults are rather large in size with pointed forewing apex and markedly lobate hindwings. Above, the wings are dark brown. Both sexes have one small hyaline subapical spot in the forewing, with the female having two larger hyaline spots in spaces 2 and 3 in addition. There are no cell spots, and the male does not have a discal stigma on the forewing. Below, both sexes are pale brown with a purplish sheen in fresh specimens. The hindwing has a prominent white and outwardly diffuse discal band. The inner half of the hindwing has a greenish glaze, more so in the male than in the female.

Field Observations of Butterfly Behaviour:

This species is moderately rare in Singapore. The adults have been sighted in both nature reserves and urban parks and gardens, typically during the dawn and dusk hours of a day. They have the habit of visiting flowering plants for nectar and puddling on damp patches for minerals. As with other Awl spp., the fast flying adults have a habit of resting on the underside of a leaf or other plant parts.

A Plain Banded Awl puddling on a damp ground.

Another puddling Plain Banded Awl.

Early Stages:

The only recorded local host plant for the Plain Banded Awl is Spatholobus ferrugineus, a widely distributed vine in the nature reserves. This plant is tri-foliated with leaves and stems covered in a dense coat of hair. Elsewhere in the region (Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong), Milletia spp. have been recorded as alternative host plants. It is likely that at least one local Milletia spp. is a larval host too. Caterpillars of the Plain Banded Awl feed on young leaves of the host plant, and lives in leaf shelters constructed by folding cut leaf fragments.

Local host plant: Spatholobus ferrugineus.

A female Plain Banded Awl ovipositing on the young shoot of S. ferrugineus.

Eggs of the Plain Banded Awl. Left: Laid on a young leaf bud; Right: Laid on a stem.

The eggs are laid singly on young shoots of the host plants, either on a leaf bud or on the stem. Each egg is shaped like a bun with a flattened base (diameter: 0.8-0.9mm). Longitudinal ridges run from the pole to the base. The micropylar sits atop at the pole. Initially creamy white when freshly laid, the entire egg turns salmon red as it develops, and then decolorizes again when the caterpillar is ready to emerge.

Two views of an egg of the Plain Banded Awl, the day after it was laid.

Two views of a mature egg of the Plain Banded Awl, with the black head capsule showing through the hole in the egg shell.

It takes 3-4 days for the egg to hatch. The young caterpillar eats just enough of the shell to emerge, and has a length of about 1.8-1.9mm. The newly hatched does not bother to devour the rest of egg shell. It has the typical cylindrical shape for skipper caterpillars, and the yellowish brown body has a number of short white setae. The large head is black, slightly bi-lobed and lightly hairy. The dorsum of the prothorax carries a dark-colored patch/shield.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, newly hatched, length: 1.9mm.

Two views of 1st instar caterpillar, length: 3mm.

The young caterpillar constructs its first leaf shelter by bringing two halves of a small young leaf together with silk threads. It rests within the shelter between feeds on nearby leaf lamina. In later instars, the Plain Banded Awl caterpillars also construct leaf shelters in a similar fashion but do so with larger and more developed leaves. As the caterpillar feeds and grows, the body base colour becomes paler and brown ring markings on body segments appear and darken towards the end of the instar.

Two views of a 1st instar caterpillar, late in this stage, dormant before its moult, length: 4mm.

After reaching a length of about 4mm in the 1st instar, the caterpillar moults to the next instar. The 2nd instar caterpillar has a pale yellowish ground colour with dark brown rings on the body segments (2 rings to each segment). Four yellowish/whitish narrow dorsal bands cut across the the dark rings. The body and the black head capsule are covered in short fine setae.

Two views of a newly moulted 2nd instar caterpillar.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, length: 5.8mm.

Two views of a 2nd instar caterpillar, dormant prior to its moult, length: 7mm.

An early 2nd instar caterpillar seen in a partially open leaf shelter.

The 2nd instar caterpillar reaches a length of about 7mm, and after about 2 days in this stage, it moults again. The 3rd instar caterpillar resembles the 2nd instar caterpillar but with somewhat broader and more prominent dark rings on the body segments. This instar lasts another 2 days with the length reaching 11mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, newly moulted, length: 7mm.

Two views of a 3rd instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 11mm.

The 4th instar caterpillar resembles the 3rd instar caterpillar initially, but with dorsal bands and segmental rings much more constrasting. The head capsule is still black for most 4th instar caterpillars, but some specimens have been observed to feature small lateral patches of red to reddish brown. This penultimate instar takes about 3 days to complete with the body length reaching up to 22mm. As the caterpillar grows in this instar, the dark segmental rings lose their prominence and decolorise in most segments (except for the prothoracic segment, 2nd and 4th abdominal segments). At the same time, the body base colour takes on a greater emphasis of yellow.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, newly moulted, length: 11mm.

Two views of a 4th instar caterpillar, length: 22mm.

A 4th instar caterpillar, dormant before the next moult, length: 20mm.

The final and 5th instar caterpillar is predominantly yellow with black lateral patches on the prothoracic, 2nd and 4th abdominal segments. A much more striking change is in the head capsule which has now become reddish or orangy red. Set against this brightly coloured background are two lateral-frontal round black spots, two lateral round black spots encasing the eyes, and and one triangular black spot on the frons (about the labrum). White setae adorn the head capsule as well as the entire body. This stage takes about 6-7 days to complete with body length reaching 36-38mm.

Two views of a newly moulted 5th instar caterpillar, early in this stage, length: 19mm.

Two views of a 5th instar caterpillar, late in this stage, length: 38mm.

Towards the end of 5th instar, the body of the caterpillar gradually shrinks in length and changes colour to pale orangy brown with a reddish tone. The fully grown caterpillar ceases feeding and stations itself in its leaf shelter. During the early part of this pre-pupal stage, the caterpillar spins multiple silk threads to seal the pupation shelter, and in particular, constructs a silk girdle at its 2nd/3rd abdominal segment and a short transverse silk band near its posterior end.

Two views of a pre-pupa of the Plain Banded Awl secured in its pupal shelter.

After about 0.75 day of the pre-pupal phase, pupation takes place within the pupation shelter. The pupa secures itself with its cremaster attached to the transverse band. The pupa has a short thorax, a rather long abdomen and a short and pointed black rostrum. Fresh after the pupation event, the body is pale orangy brown overall. After 0.5 to 1 day, the body surface becomes mostly covered in a white substance. Several black spots adorn the dorsum of the thoracic segments. The spiracles are marked in black. Length of pupae: 23-24mm.

Two views of a pupa of the Plain Banded Awl, day 2 in this stage, now with the coating of whitish powdery substance.

After 8 days, the pupa becomes darkened in color signaling the imminent emergence of the adult. The next day the adult butterfly emerges from the mature pupa.

Three views of a maturing/mature pupa of the Plain Banded Awl, within the last 12 hours of the pupal stage.

A newly eclosed Plain Banded Awl.

References:

• The Butterflies of The Malay Peninsula, A.S. Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury, 4th Edition, The Malayan Nature Society.
• Butterflies of Thailand, Pisuth Ek-Amnuay, 2nd Edition, 2012

Text by Horace Tan, Photos by Bobby Mun, Loke PF, Nelson Ong, Simon Sng, Federick Ho, Sunny Chir, Khew SK and Horace Tan

Random Gallery - Grey Sailor

April 29, 2013, 7:08 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Plain Plushblue

≪ Previous: Life History of the Plain Banded Awl

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Grey Sailor (Neptis leucoporos cresina)

The Grey Sailor is predominantly a forest-dependent butterfly and is not frequently seen in urban parks and gardens. It tends to stay at forest edges and within the vicinity of forested areas and particularly where its caterpillar host plant, Gironniera nervosa is found. The typical black-and-white striped uppersides tend to get this species confused with two other lookalike species - the Common Sailor and Short-Banded Sailor. The underside of the Grey Sailor is white and grey, and serves to distinguish this species from the other two, which feature orange or orange-brown undersides.

This pristine individual of the Grey Sailor was shot last weekend by ButterflyCircle member Goh EC along the forest edge near a park connector. The species is fairly common and can be quite skittish and uncooperative when a photographer approaches it. A good time to catch it distracted is when it is feeding on the ripened fruits of the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum) or at flowering bushes.

Random Gallery - Plain Plushblue

May 1, 2013, 3:49 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Common Sailor

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Grey Sailor

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Plain Plushblue (Flos apidanus saturatus)

Amongst the four Flos species that are extant in Singapore, this species, the Plain Plushblue is the most widespread and often encountered. It is moderately common and can be found in the forested reserves as well as in urban parks and gardens. The underside of the Plain Plushblue is purple brown with the usual cryptic markings. There is a small deep red patch at the base of the wings.The hindwing bears a white-tipped tail at vein two of the hindwing and is toothed at veins 1b and 3.

This individual was photographed by young ButterflyCircle member Jonathan Soong on Labour Day. The butterfly was one of many that were out and about feeding on the ripened fruits of the Singapore Rhododendron. The photo shows the Plain Plushblue resting on the fruit capsule of the plant in between feeds.

Random Gallery - Common Sailor

May 1, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Chocolate Sailor

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Plain Plushblue

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery 
The Common Sailor (Neptis hylas papaja)

Earlier this week, we featured the Grey Sailor, which looks and behaves quite similarly to today's Common Sailor. Indeed, both species are sometimes seen in the same location when the Singapore Rhododendron plants are fruiting. Both species from the genus Neptis have a weak flap-glide flight but are skittish and not easy to approach.  The upperside of the Common Sailor features the typical black-and-white stripes of the genus whilst the forewing white cell streak is constricted towards the cell end. The underside of the species is a rich orange-brown and distinguishes the Common Sailor from its close cousin, the Grey Sailor.

This individual was photographed feeding on the ripened fruit of the Singapore Rhododendron in a forested area in the nature reserves. When feeding, many species of butterflies are distracted long enough to stay still for a decent shot of them. Over the past week, the bushes of fruiting Rhododendron have allowed many ButterflyCircle members to photograph many species of butterflies that feed greedily on the ripened fruits of the bush.

---

Random Gallery - Chocolate Sailor

May 2, 2013, 6:04 pm

≫ Next: Of Prostitutes, Gigolos & a Busy Brothel!

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Common Sailor

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Chocolate Sailor (Neptis harita harita)

This is the third and last species of the genus Neptis that is found in Singapore, and the most uncommon of the three. The earlier two relatives, the Grey Sailor and the Common Sailor were featured earlier this week.  The Chocolate Sailor adopts the flap-glide flying style like its cousins and is as skittish and challenging to approach.  Only when it is distracted whilst feeding, or in this case, where it stopped to perch to rest after an active feeding session, there is a good chance for a photographer to get a good shot if it. Note that its coiled proboscis is still wet with fluids from its last feed.

ButterflyCircle member Sunny Chir was at the right place and the right time when the usually active Chocolate Sailor decided to stop and perch with its wings folded shut on the leaf. The Chocolate Sailor is predominantly dark brown with lighter brown stripes across its wings in the typical Neptis arrangement. It has a distinctive crescent-shaped post-discal spot in space 3 of the forewing. Being a forest-dependent butterfly, it is usually observed in the nature reserves of Singapore. Its caterpillar host plant is Poikilospermum suaveolens and its full life history has been recorded here.

Of Prostitutes, Gigolos & a Busy Brothel!

May 4, 2013, 4:53 am

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Blue Jay

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Chocolate Sailor

$

0

0

Of Prostitutes, Gigolos & a Busy Brothel!
Featuring the Courtesan

Just in case you did a double take and wondered if you are reading an article about butterflies or had inadvertently stumbled on some undesirable website, rest assured that you are in the right place. (Unless of course, it was your intention in the first instance to visit some dubious website for a little RnR!) But now that your curiosity has been piqued by the strange title of this article, do read on...

This weekend's blog article revolves primarily around a species of butterfly that has been christened the rather unfortunate common name of "Courtesan". A quick search across various online dictionaries would give you the definition that clearly refers you to the world's oldest profession! Wikipedia puts it more diplomatically across, as it traces the historical meanings of courtesan, but stating that in our contemporary era, the word courtesan "has become a euphemism to designate an escort or a prostitute, especially one who attracts wealthy clients."

How such a pretty butterfly came to be associated with a lady of the night, we can only guess. Perhaps one of the early collectors saw in the physical appearance of this butterfly, a resemblance with someone or something that reminded him of his previous night's recreational activities? Or perhaps someone was having some morbid fun in coining such a name for this butterfly. Of course the search also suggested that courtesans are normally applicable to women. So what do we call male Courtesans then?

The Courtesan (now I'm referring to the butterfly) is considered a rarity in Singapore. Between infrequent appearances in urban parks and gardens, there were long intervals during which the species was not seen. Over the past few weeks, however, after ButterflyCircle members stumbled on one or two individuals within a very localised area in the nature reserves, the sightings of the Courtesan became more regular and frequent, but still largely within the vicinity where it was first spotted.

A few weekends later, ButterflyCircle members located the mother lode (or should we say a very active brothel!) where there were more numbers of this species than we have ever encountered before! True that the recorded host plant,Trema tomentosa grows commonly in this area, but the plant can also be found in many places and is certainly not rare. So what makes this place so special?

An observation was made that the location where the host plant species was found in abundance, was actually an area that had been affected by tree falls and the heavily shaded forested area was naturally "cleared". The opened patch of forest that was wiped clean was then a subject site for replanting by the authorities, most probably the National Parks Board. Evidence of reforestation with Syzygium and other species of plants in that area was obvious by the support poles that accompanied the young saplings. Other secondary growth species quickly took root, and examples are Melastoma, Trema and a number of the usual creepers and "weeds".

Forest ecology and habitats are dynamic and evolve all the time. In nature, nothing is static. Trees fall, clearings are created, new plants grow, the structure of the forest evolves as new plants colonise the site and edge out other plants, habitats change from open sunny areas to shaded forests as the trees grow tall, and the cycle repeats itself. With change, biodiversity and the species that come and go, will closely follow the evolution of the structure of the forest as one habitat replaces another. Where were the Courtesans before the large trees fell and opened that patch of the forest? Probably nowhere near. What happens when the trees grow, the understorey becomes heavily shaded, and the smaller shrubs die out? The Courtesans will probably move somewhere else where the habitat is conducive for the species to survive. 

The abundance of the Courtesan's host plant, Trema tomentosa and also another related species, Trema cannabina meant that a small colony of the butterfly could be supported at this patch of forest. Indeed it became so, when we spotted up to nearly a dozen individuals of the species, both males and females, over the period when they were active. Suddenly, a rare butterfly became common, even if it were only temporarily.

A male Courtesan perches alertly with its legs taut and ready to spring to attack any intruders

The males were up and about quite early in the morning, usually perched on higher vantage points, surveying their territory for intruders and also for potential mates that come along. Females tend to fly slowly in search for their host plants to lay their eggs on.

The Courtesan is a classic example of sexual polymorphism in the female, with two forms occuring in Singapore and Malaysia. Indeed over the weeks that they were observed at this forest patch, both the females form-isina and form-eupleoides were present. The females are excellent examples in Batesian mimicry, where they resemble the distasteful Danainae Magpie Crow (Euploea radamanthus radamanthus) for protection against predators.

The female form-isina of the Courtesan and the model, the male Magpie Crow for comparison

The female form-isina mimics the male Magpie Crow and is more than just a passable mimic. If not for the earlier observations of the male Courtesans in that area, one could be forgiven for mistaking the female form-isina for the ubiquitous Magpie Crow. Even the submarginal blue spots are copied! The other female form-eupleoides is a good mimic of the female of the Magpie Crow, with its more extensive white markings.

The female form-eupleoides of the Courtesan and the model, the female Magpie Crow for comparison

It was also interesting to note that the eyes of the male Courtesan is always a bright yellow, whilst the eyes of the females can range from dark grey to yellow. Another noteworthy observation would be that the differences between the male and female Courtesan extend to their wing shape, patterns and even size! The typical male is only about 60% of the size of the larger female.

Nature always throws interesting surprises and unexpected discoveries, even on our little island. If not for the access created by the network of park connectors to reach this forested area, these observations may not have been possible, and we would have been none the wiser about the behaviour of the Courtesan in this habitat. Indeed, if not for this fortunate encounter, ButterflyCircle may not have been able to document the full life history of the Courtesan so soon! Horace Tan, our early stages expert, managed to record the life history of the Courtesan on this blog resulting from the first observation of this species in that area.

There are certain quarters who advocate that Singapore should leave all its wild greenery alone and not develop them. However, there are benefits in creating nature-related facilities and accessibility to some of these areas so that nature enthusiast groups like ButterflyCircle can continue to study, document and share our natural heritage with the community at large.



The re-forested clearing where the Courtesans thrive, at least temporarily, as the forest structure evolves and changes over time

No one is saying that we should support the clearing of all our remaining forests and replacing them with steel and concrete buildings. Given our land-scarce island, we have already done a lot better than many other countries around us, in terms of planning the city, and providing a delicate balance between sensitive and sustainable development whilst conserving our greenery and biodiversity. The keyword is balance, and not at the absolute expense of one or the other.

A male Courtesan perches on its caterpillar host plant, Trema cannabina

Whither now our lady of the night? After the re-forested area regenerates itself, and the key plant species are replaced by others naturally as forests evolve, will the Courtesan still remain? Perhaps, perhaps not. Nature is unpredictable. But we are thankful that we have managed to study this species in greater detail than we would otherwise have been able to, given this window of opportunity. And it has certainly been a very educational lesson in nature's outdoor classroom.

Text by Khew SK ; Photos by Sunny Chir; Chng CK; Khew SK; Loke PF, Nelson Ong, Horace Tan & Benjamin Yam

Random Gallery - Blue Jay

May 6, 2013, 7:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Commander

≪ Previous: Of Prostitutes, Gigolos & a Busy Brothel!

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Blue Jay (Graphium evemon eventus)

The Blue Jay is a common "swallowtail" of the Papilionidae family. Most of the time when encountered, it is fast-flying and skittish. Its powerful and erratic flight makes it very frustrating for a photographer who is tracking its movements. Even to the casual observer, a Blue Jay in flight is very often just a flash of blue that zips by. However, the butterfly is easier to photograph when it is puddling on sandy streambanks and muddy footpaths as shown in many shots in this earlier article.

At other times, the Blue Jay can occasionally be observed to take a rest amongst foliage especially after feeding. This is one instance when ButterflyCircle member Nelson Ong encountered when the butterfly was at rest on a leaf of the Singapore Rhododendron, capturing the Blue Jay in its environment.

Random Gallery - Commander

May 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Plain Palm Dart

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Blue Jay

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery

The Commander (Moduza procris milonia)

The Commander is a skittish butterfly and is usually very alert to movements and is a difficult butterfly to photograph. However, there are times when it is hungry and is sufficiently distracted whilst feeding or puddling. In the photograph above, ButterflyCircle member Sunny Chir took the opportunity to photograph the Commander whilst it was busy feeding on the ripened fruit of the Singapore Rhododendron in the forested nature reserves. Note the well-balanced position with the spread mid- and hind legs of the butterfly as it probes its proboscis into the sweet fermenting juices.

Random Gallery - Plain Palm Dart

May 8, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Random Gallery - Knight

≪ Previous: Random Gallery - Commander

$

0

0

Random Butterfly Gallery
The Plain Palm Dart (Cephrene acalle niasicus)

The Plain Palm Dart is one of two species of the genus Cephrenes found in Singapore. The other one, the Yellow Palm Dart, is an immigrant from the Indo-Australian region. The existence of the Plain Palm Dart was probably overlooked as the male of the species appear very similar to the lookalike Telicota spp. The Plain Palm Dart was added to the checklist as as re-discovery only when the very distinctive female was reliably seen and photographed in Singapore. (See life history article)

The male Plain Palm Dart, with is sharper arrow-like markings on the undersides of its wings, sets is apart from the closely allied Telicota. This individual, shot by ButterflyCircle member Federick Ho, perches in the usual skipper fashion, with its forelegs drawn tightly against its body, and resting only on its mid- and hind legs. Only moderately rare, the Plain Palm Dart is widespread in distribution in Singapore and can be found in urban parks and gardens, mangrove areas and also on the offshore island of Pulau Ubin.